Cost effective high thrust capacity turbocharger assembly

A method of creating an assembly of a turbocharger for resisting loads caused by a shaft of the turbocharger, the method comprising:

• providing a bearing housing comprising a substantially cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis, a first bore end, a second bore end, and a housing cavity extending through the bearing housing between the two bore ends;
• placing an annular journal bearing within the housing cavity adjacent to the first bore end;
• placing a first angular contact bearing within the housing cavity adjacent to the second bore end, wherein the first annular contact bearing comprises a plurality of first bearing elements;
• placing a second angular contact bearing within the housing cavity adjacent to the first angular contact bearing such the first and second angular contact bearings are opposing to each other, wherein the second angular contact bearing comprises a plurality of second bearing elements;
• and
• placing a bearing retainer plate and a seal collar adjacent the second bore end of the bearing housing such that the first and second angular contact bearings are at least partially retained within the housing cavity of the bearing housing by the bearing housing, the bearing retainer plate, and the seal collar.

A method of improving an existing journal bearing turbocharger, the method comprising:

• providing a journal bearing turbocharger comprising:
• a bearing housing comprising a substantially cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis, a first bore end, a second bore end, and a housing cavity extending through the bearing housing between the two bore ends;
• a rotating shaft extending longitudinally through the bearing housing and comprising a turbine at the first bore end and a compressor at the second bore end;
• a first annular journal bearing positioned within the housing cavity adjacent to the first bore end;
• a thrust bearing positioned within the housing cavity adjacent to the second bore end;
• a second annular journal bearing positioned within the housing cavity between the first annular journal bearing and the thrust bearing;
• a thrust washer positioned within the housing cavity in contact with the thrust bearing and between the thrust bearing and the second annular journal bearing;
• a seal collar positioned adjacent the second bore end of the bearing housing such that the first and second angular contact bearings are retained within the housing cavity of the bearing housing by the bearing housing, the bearing retainer plate, and the seal collar;
• removing the thrust bearing, the second annular journal bearing, and the thrust washer from the journal bearing turbocharger;
• modifying the bearing housing, the rotating shaft, and the seal collar such that a first angular contact bearing, a second angular contact bearing, a bearing sleeve, and a bearing retainer plate may be positioned within the turbocharger where the thrust bearing, second annular journal bearing, and thrust washer were previously positioned in the turbocharger, wherein each of the first and second angular contact bearings comprise metallic or plastic ball bearings;
• placing the first angular contact bearing within the bearing sleeve;
• placing the second angular contact bearing within the bearing sleeve adjacent to the first angular contact bearing such the first and second angular contact bearings oppose each other;
• placing the bearing sleeve within the bearing housing adjacent to the second bore end;
• placing the bearing retainer plate adjacent the second bore end of the bearing housing such that the first and second angular contact bearings are at least partially retained within the housing cavity of the bearing housing;
• and
• placing the seal collar adjacent the bearing retainer plate adjacent the second bore end of the bearing housing such that the first and second angular contact bearings are at least partially retained within the housing cavity of the bearing housing by the bearing housing, the bearing retainer plate, and the seal collar.